Hot spiced apple cider

This is not an alcoholic drink, but is hot apple juice gently infused with warming spices. ike a hot chocolate or chai it warms from the inside out. It is best made with cloudy pressed apple juice rather than clear refined juice. This can be found at supermarkets, or if you are lucky at produce markets direct from the apple grower.

Alternatively, if you have some apples to use up, chop 6-8 apples into quarters (don’t peel or core). Place in a saucepan with 5 cups water, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve, pressing out as much juice as possible and compost the solids. Return the juice to the pan and follow the directions below, adding honey or sugar to sweeten if needed as this will be more diluted than using straight apple juice.

PREP TIME 5 minutes // COOK TIME 20 minutes // SERVES glasses

750ml (3 cups) pressed apple juice 250g (1 cup) water

1 cinnamon quill

8 whole cloves

8 whole allspice (or ½ tsp mixed spice) About ¼ tsp grated nutmeg

4 strips of lemon zest

1. Place all of the ingredients into a saucepan. Cover and heat over a low heat. 2. Once the juice is steaming, remove the lid and gently cook for 15-20 minutes. Aim to keep it just under a boil so the spices can gently infuse the juice. 3. Remove from the heat, cool a little then strain into 4 glasses or mugs. Add a strip of lemon zest to each glass and serve. 4. This drink can be made ahead of time, leaving the spices in the juice, then gently reheating.